


Nothing Came Out

by daynight



Series: Telegraph Avenue [7]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Record Store, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 11:18:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3690234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daynight/pseuds/daynight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five conversations/semi-conversations that Babe has with Eugene Roe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing Came Out

**Author's Note:**

> Not based on real men, based on TV depictions, no offence intended at all!

**ONE**

“Ay, Joe!” Babe stomped up the stairs out the back of the record shop; record in hand, shouting loudly for his co-worker who had taken the day off to spend yet more time lounging around in his apartment above the store. “Joe! The customer wants to know about this record and I know jack shit, can you help?” He stomped up to the door, still yelling and began to knock.

He heard a thunderous kerfuffle behind the door, something banging and frantic swearing. After about five minutes of this, Liebgott finally opened the door, only allowing it to swing open a fraction, concealing the room and popping his head out.

“What the FUCK do you want, Babe?” Joe was shirtless, a pair of oversized sensible looking boxers on and his hair was very messed up, making him look like a scruffy kid. He had a weird bruise on his collarbone and seemed very, very pissed off. This didn’t really bother Babe, he was pretty used to it.

“The customer wants to know about this record.” Babe thrust the record into Joe’s hands, trying to not-so subtley see what was happening behind the door. He could hear a noisy sort of music but couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

“1972. Limited release. Pretty shit.” Said Liebgott, still flustered and angry. “Will you fuck off now?” He looked back down at the record and Babe took this opportunity to dodge past his head and push the door open.

The ajar door now revealed a nude Webster, his dignity covered only by rumpled sheets of Joe’s bed, who dived forwards and rolled into a ball like a hedgehog, immediately pulling the blankets over his head and covering himself in a panic. Babe hadn't known he was back but now the reason for Liebgott’s state of undress and distress was pretty obvious. The music, louder and more booming now, was far more interesting. It, to Liebgott’s complete and utter spluttering humiliation, was Easy Company Troopers first record, and it was playing loud enough for Babe to hear each and every instrument clearly.

Liebgott shoved an increasingly delighted Babe away firmly and attempted to close the door, swearing furiously.

“You little fucking shit!”

“OH MY GOD.” Babe was laughing hysterically. The door slammed shut. “Liebgott, are you seriously having sex to your own music?” He almost choked on a laugh. “I can’t…I can’t fucking believe it.” He was close to tears. “I’ve got to go tell the others. This is…too good.” Babe started descending down the stairs. He was almost at the bottom when the door swung open again and a still semi-nude crazy eyed Liebgott stared down at him, pointing a finger. Babe could hear Webster whinging in the background.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Babe. If you tell them, I am going to fucking kill you!”

“Not if Webster kills you first!” Babe laughed and ran to the shop, hastily closing up and hurrying to The Battalion to tell the other guys the amazing news. His phone was buzzing the entire time with texts like ‘Don’t u fuckin dare!!!!!’, ‘I am going 2 murder u!!!’ and ‘I will work all ur shifts don’t DO IT’ from Liebgott. He ignored them, a huge smile on his face.

“Guys! Guys!” The members of Easy, not including Liebgott, all turned around to stare expectantly at Babe as he burst through the doors of the Battalion. Even Johnny and Bull, the bouncers, poked their heads around to listen to the news. “Liebgott…has sex…to his own music.”

The guys all broke into enormous smiles, some whooping and laughing.

“Seriously?”

“I mean, I know he’s full of himself but…wow.”

“The very dictionary definition of egotistical.”

“I bet Webster fucking loves it.”

Babe sat down at the table with them, so excited he even forgot to check for Roe, lurking behind the bar.

“I know right! Man, I could never have sex to my own songs.”

Perconte raised an eyebrow at him.

“Oh really Babe? What do you listen to when you’re getting it on then?” Babe flushed slightly. He wasn’t a virgin but honestly his experience wasn’t particularly extensive. Mostly high school level fumbling.

“Uh electronic music, Dubstep. Like, [Daft Punk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDpmVUEjagg)?”

“Kind of fast paced, don’t you think?” A low, lilting Louisiana accent sounded in his ear. Babe’s face drained. He had been so caught up in the exchange he had failed to notice Roe had joined them, silently listening to the conversation with a half smile. He was so close, leaning near Babe’s shoulder and looking at him with an amused light in his eyes. Babe’s mind snapped from his reverie as he struggled to reply, staring straight into Roe’s pale face and feeling like he was about to short circuit.

“Uh…”

“Yeah, Babe.” Piped up Malarkey, laughing and swigging from his beer. “What kind of sex are you having? Must be extremely energetic.”

“Shut up.” Babe mustered.

“I like a bit of [Barry White](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YChL6tQvcY), myself.” Luz exclaimed, smirking. Roe, surprisingly, settled down opposite Babe for a second. He could see the muscles in his arm stretching the sleeve of his white t-shirt as he leaned forward to grab more glasses. Roe sat with his legs wide open, masculine and rough-hewn. Watching him, Babe reminded himself to exhale.

“I don’t usually listen to music.” Roe suddenly said, collecting all the glasses from the guys. “They make enough noise as it is.”

With this oh-so-casual statement that was destroying Babe’s mind one cerebral echo at a time ( _they make enough noise as it is, they make enough noise at is, I am apparently very good at sex, I am apparently very good at sex_ ), he got up and left, walking away with that familiar loping gait that Babe usually liked to watch when he wasn’t having a sexuality related break-down. George Luz waved a hand in Babe’s face, which was bright red and mouth agape.

“Yo, anybody home?”

“Babe, we’re gonna go. You coming?” Babe shook his head, trying to shake himself out of the complete shock he was in, and attempted to be casual and nonchalant.

“Nah. I think I’ll…stay here for a bit.” George looked at him quizzically then began to grin with evil intent.

“You haven’t popped a boner have you?”

“What? No? That’s so…that’s ridiculous.”

“Oh my god! You have, haven’t you? That’s so pathetic! Just one mention of fuckin’ from the Doc and you pitch a tent!”

“No! I’m not…Liebgott has sex to his own songs!”

“Which is hilarious, yes, but Babe, at least he’s getting some. I just feel sad for you.”

Babe got up and punched George in the arm, blushing furiously. George laughed and raised his hands, gesturing in the direction of Babe’s groin.

“Get that thing away from me! Are you tryin’ to stab me or something? Tuck it in your belt, junior.”

“Fuck you.” Babe did not in fact have an erection (thanks to the painful forced recollection of the time he accidentally saw his ol’ grandma in her underwear)  “I was just thinking, okay?”

“Sure you were kiddo. Sure you were.”

* * *

**TWO**

The man, who had identified himself as ‘Cobb’ earlier in the evening, when he was not so inebriated, was swaying, pushing at Roe’s chest with his finger. He had seemed all right at first, knew Leigbott and some of the Easy boys from somewhere along the line, but the more he had drunk, the nastier he had become. Babe, who had only popped in to give Liebgott a record he had borrowed back, viewed the tableau with growing anger. Cobb was leaning across the bar uneasily, mouth slurring as he demanded that Roe serve him another drink, with Roe apparently refusing. Roe was glaring, mouth set in a harsh slant, white face pinched up with fury at the way this man was accosting him. Babe felt more pissed off than he ever had in his entire life, more pissed off than he had ever been in the occasional fights he and Bill got into in Philly. How dare anyone have the impudence to be that goddamn rude? How dare he treat Gene like that?

He stormed over, fizzling with anger. Roe’s eyes widened when he noticed Babe’s presence, brow crinkling with concern.

“’Ay, you. Why don’t you get the fuck offa him?” In his anger, Babe’s philly accent was thicker than ever. Roe was looking at him with both awe and, unexpectedly, anger. Cobb let go of Roe, who he had grabbed by the cuff, and reeled around to face this new antagonist.

“What’s it to you?”

“He’s my friend.” Roe perceptibly twitched. “And he’s just doing his job.” Cobb sneered right in Babe’s face. He could smell the sharp whiskey on his breath.

“His job is to serve me more booze. Which he ‘aint doing.”

“Maybe you’ve had enough.” Babe narrowed his eyes and puffed up his chest, getting up in this guys comfort zone like they were back in Philly, starting shit behind a club. He heard a low and warning ‘Edward’ from Roe but decided to ignore him.

“Fuck you, man.” Cobb spat. That was it. Babe pulled back and raised a fist. Nostrils flaring with anger, he threw a reckless punch towards the other man.

Luckily for Cobb but very unluckily for Babe, the second his punch was about to connect soundly with his jaw, Cobb had tripped and slid further down the wall which led to Babe’s fist meeting the solid surface with a sickening crunch. Letting out a cry of pain, Babe clutched his fist in his other hand as Speirs arrived on the scene to escort a semi-conscious and scared shitless Cobb out of the vicinity, whispering somewhat maliciously in his ear. Babe had no idea what he was saying but doubted Cobb would ever be back again. No one messed with Speirs.

“What the fuck do you think you doin’?” Babe quickly turned to see Roe staring at him with a quiet and dismaying fury.

“I was just…”

Roe shook his head violently, almost shaking with rage.

“Don’t you ever do anything like that again. Not for me, not for anyone. You hear me?”

“But- ”

“No buts. No nothin’ Edward.” Babe hung his head, his hand smarting at his side. His eyes burned but his pride hurt the most of all.

“Fine.” He stared away, at the offending wall that he had earlier assaulted. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Roe’s rigid, furious stance relax and his fists curl out of the balls that he had been holding them. He noticed him sigh and run a hand through his hair.

“You okay?” His voice was softer now, free of the sharp edge of anger that had made it harsh and cowing.

“Yeah.” Babe sighed too and began to turn away. He should just go home.

“Wait.” Roe paused and hopped over the bar in the same way he had when Babe had first met him, with grace and ease. “Let’s have a look at that hand.”

Babe, still staring away, limply held his hand out towards Gene, who took it with gentle care. Babe had never had his hand held by him before. It was cold and slightly rough from hard labour. Perfect. A shudder went through his whole body at his touch.

“Sorry, my hands are cold.”

“It’s okay.”

Roe flipped his hand over and examined his knuckles carefully.

“Nothin’s broken. Sit down, I’ll get you some ice, alright?”

Babe sat down at the bar like a sulky but obedient child. Roe returned with ice wrapped with a flannel and carefully placed it over Babe’s hand. He gave Babe a small smile and Babe, like an idiot, smiled back. He couldn’t help it.

“I’m sorry I got mad. But I’m serious. Don’t go gettin’ into fights.”

“I’m sorry too. I’ll try not to.” Roe squeezed his shoulder. His hands, although cold, seemed to burn a brand into Babe’s skin.

“Good boy. Now sit there until I tell you to take the ice off, okay?”

“Okay.”

* * *

**THREE**

“She likes you, man. She told me. You should ask her out.”

Babe grimaced slightly. He had noticed her staring at him in lectures or at the dorm parties that they both happened to attend. Unfortunately for her, she never really crossed his mind before.

There she was now, smiling at him from across the dining hall as his friend whispered in his ear. She wasn’t bad looking; in fact she was pretty cute. He just hadn’t even entertained any thoughts of anyone apart from that one person who managed to occupy all of his thoughts without even trying to. His pale, mysterious daydream.

A daydream was really all he was, to be honest. Babe was beginning to realise that Eugene Roe was an enigma he just wasn’t going to solve anytime soon. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to try and go on a couple dates and get him out of his mind. This weird crush was only making him melancholy, sitting around in his room pining and playing shit like ‘[How Can I Tell You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npqydl3V-Hk)’ by Cat Stevens over and over again until he felt like he could scream from all the pent up dissatisfaction and fucking _longing_.

This was how Babe found himself arranging a date on his day off from work at Harry Welsh’s coffee shop.

Harry, who was a strong patron of The Battalion and also a friend of Babe’s boss, gave Babe a great big toothy grin as he arrived.

“Mocha latte, Babe?” Harry was well aware of Babe’s penchant for sweet drinks. Babe smiled at Kitty, Harry’s wife, who was putting up notices in the notice board. She winked at him, rubbing her cheek as she surveyed her work.

“Sure, thanks Harry.”

Babe found himself a little spot by the window with two seats and waited for his date, a very nice girl called Liz who he shared 2 lectures with. She arrived about 5 minutes later, flustered and red cheeked, which Babe thought was pretty cute. Babe ordered her a drink by yelling loudly in Harry’s direction, which seemed to amuse her greatly. In fact, she giggled at all of Babe’s half-hearted jokes, her eyes never leaving his. Babe found himself growing more and more confident as the minutes grew, telling her wild stories about Philadelphia as she laughed behind her hand.

Babe was in the middle of telling Liz a fun anecdote about him and Bill camping out in senior year when the coffee shop door swung open and Babe had to stop in the middle of his sentence to stare at the figure entering. It was Roe, dressed in a huge baggy sweatshirt with ‘Louisiana State’ emblazoned over it and dark blue jeans, rolled up to reveal brown work boots. Babe had never seen him out of the white t-shirt and black jeans ensemble that he normally wore at work. He looked comfortable but tired, shuffling towards the counter. Babe’s heart ached.

“Hey Doc!” Said Harry, smiling widely. “Black with sugar?”

“Thanks, Harry.” Roe seemed to be holding back a yawn. He then turned to survey the shop and, of course, his eyes fell on Babe and his date. Babe felt silly, and embarrassingly, guilty, like he was cheating on someone who barely knew he existed. Roe didn’t seem to notice. His eyes crinkled into a small smile and he lifted his arm slightly.

“Hi.” He said.

“Hey.” Babe replied. Roe nodded, one side of his mouth quirking up then turned back to the counter.

“You know that guy?” Liz asked, gesturing towards Roe, who was pulling his sweatshirt over his hands and slightly rocking on his feet, probably the cutest thing Babe had ever seen.

“Uh.” Babe stuttered. “Yeah. We’re friends.” Were they friends? Babe at least thought they were. He had no idea what was going on in Roe’s head.

“He’s hot. In like, a weird way.”

“I suppose so.” Babe thought he was one of the most beautiful people to ever exist. He decided to keep that particular thought to himself.

Babe listened to Liz talking about her classes, trying not to seem to distracted as he watched Roe sit down at one of the tables in the café and pull out some papers and American Spirit tobacco out of his pockets, beginning to roll a cigarette. Babe had no idea that the Doc smoked but he was now really taken by the idea, imagining white smoke curling out of that mouth, breathing little spirals. _Shit._ It shouldn’t have been as hot of an image as it was, it really shouldn’t have but now Babe found himself thinking of little else. He ended the date with his mind entirely elsewhere, trying not to disappoint Liz too much but telling her that he had too much on his mind to take anything any further.

Babe felt sorry for his date. He felt sorry for himself. Nothing else was going to work out.

He was hopelessly, entirely lost.

* * *

**FOUR**

“One thing I can’t really get a handle on.”

Roe surprisingly spoke up, inspecting the near empty whiskey bottle in his hand.

“Is why you keep comin’ here when I’m never gonna let you drink.”

Babe flushed as red as a freshly made Bloody Mary. He coughed a bit on his diet coke, hoping his voice was benign as ever before he replied.

“Oh, ‘cuz, you know, Joe and the band are always here and I like the atmosphere, plus the snacks are super good.”

Roe raised his eyebrows, the edge of his mouth lilting.

“You like the salted peanuts that much, eh?” Babe scrubbed the back of his neck and laughed blithely.

“Yeah. Well, they’re free!” Good save. “Hey, when you say you won’t ever serve me do you mean even after I turn 21? I don’t think that’s very fair.” Roe allowed him one of his rare half-smiles, the ones that turned Babe’s legs to jelly and made his head feel disgustingly gooey. He silently thanked the lord that he was already balanced on a bar stool so Doc wouldn’t have to witness him going a bit weak at the knees.

“If you stay around ‘til then, Heffron, I’ll serve ya.” Babe had stopped even minding that Roe continuously ignored his pleas to ‘just call me Babe like everyone else!’ and continually either referred him as Heffron, or sometimes, when he was being a real nuisance, Edward. He kind of pretended it was an endearment, ironic, considering his actual nickname.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He stated sincerely, trying to meet Roe’s eyes.

“If you say so.” Roe’s gaze was averted, looking down among the other near-empty bottles, trying to ascertain which ones to change. “You want another diet coke?” Sighing inwardly, Babe replied

“Sure.”

* * *

**FIVE**

“Lieb, are you sure about this?”

Liebgott chewed on the end of the cigarette he was smoking, running a sure hand through Babe’s ginger hair.

“Sure I’m sure.” He sounded far too nonchalant for Babe’s liking, eying up Babe’s hair the same way he looked over records he was particularly interested in.

Babe looked up, one eyebrow raised at Webster and Luz who were sat opposite him, looking over song lyrics together. Webster was now pretty much a full, card carrying member of Easy Company and had a reasonable amount of say in terms of song writing, which was good because he probably had the best grasp of grammar out of everyone.

“He’s good at this, right? He’s not gonna chop my ear off?”

Luz smiled menacingly, Webster also glancing over with boyish amusement. Luckily they took pity on him instead of kidding him around with fake horror stories of Liebgott’s scissorly ineptitude.

“He’s good.” Assured Luz.

“He cut my hair.” Said Webster, flicking his dark brown hair away from his forehead. That was reassuring; Babe had always thought that Webster had really great hair, curly and dark. He assumed that this must have happened during one of the less rocky days of their tumultuous relationship; Webster wasn’t likely to trust Joe with sharp objects anywhere within a foot of him when they were arguing. Those two were so strange, either they were throwing shit at each other and screaming or they were dragging each other to god knows where to do god knows what in a fit of passion. Babe thought he’d prefer a relationship that was calmer, easy, and full of little moments of tenderness and gentleness. Less chance of heart attacks that way.

“Yeah, don’t it look so much better than it used to?” Asked Liebgott, puffing away and throwing Webster a challenging grin.

“You didn’t have any complaints about my hair last weekend.” Retorted Webster. Luz made a repulsed face. “What? I didn’t say anything weird.”

“I don’t wanna hear about him pulling on your hair, dude.”

“I didn’t say that.” Webster rolled his eyes with exasperation.

“We aren’t stupid.”

Babe cleared his throat. He didn’t want yet another squabble to get in the way of his much needed hair cut. His auburn hair had been looking scruffy for weeks, the back almost reaching his collar. It was starting to get in his eyes. He tried pulling it all back but that just looked ridiculous paired with his boyish face.  It just wouldn’t do. His mother would be distraught if she saw him going about like some kind of ruffian. It was so long that Luz and Perconte had even managed to get it into two mini pigtails one night at The Battalion, which was embarrassing but kind of worth it because it made Roe snort a tiny but noticeable laugh. Babe would do just about anything, even if it made him look like a fool, to make Eugene laugh.

Eventually, Liebgott had finished assessing Babe’s hair and ground his cigarette with a firm resolution into an ashtray, getting down to business. It turned out that, despite Babe’s reservations, Lebgott, true to his own assertions, was actually very good at cutting hair, having worked as a barber as a teenager. He cut very quickly, no lopped off ear lobes, his scissors a flurry of blades. He gave Babe a very neat but good-looking short back and sides, leaving the front slightly longer. It was probably the nicest haircut Babe had ever had, kind of retro looking, like a soldier from WW2. He looked older, more mature but it still suited his baby face.

“Jeez. “ he exclaimed, checking the mirror in the men’s room of the record shop whilst Leibgott and the others swept the floor. Nixon didn’t really care what they did in the record shop after hours but probably wouldn’t appreciate a load of ginger hair scattered all over the place. “It’s good, Lieb!”

“Of course it is.” Liebgott said casually, looking secretly proud. He slung an arm around Webster’s waist, pulling him close. “I’m good at everything, ‘aint I?” Webster laughed and shook his head whilst Luz pulled another expression of total disgust.

“Vom.” He directed this at Babe. “Let’s go to The Battalion before we’re subject to any more of this.”

Slapping hands with Malarkey and Joe Toye, who was on his break, Babe settled down at a table away from the bar. He bet Gene was wondering why he hadn’t come straight over like he always did. Or maybe he wasn’t because unlike Babe he probably didn’t think about this kind of shit all the time. _Never mind._ Babe would go over in due time, of course, he just had to do the rounds with the guys whilst Liebgott showed off his latest masterpiece, Webster on one arm like some kind of proud politicians wife and Babe on the other arm like their surly teenage daughter.

“Looks nice, Babe.” Said Malarkey, giving him a genuine smile.

“Yeah, I can just about stand to look at your ugly mug now.” Joked George Luz, which got him an elbow in the belly from Lipton, who had joined them for a quick break.

“Be nice, George. That’s one of our best customers you’re talking to. So many diet cokes.” Babe could have sworn he winked like a proud mother, which made him duck his head and blush. Damn. He hoped that Lipton wasn’t trying to imply anything. He heaved himself up off the table.

“Alright guys I’m just gonna…” He was cut off by Joe Toye.

“Go to the bar?”

“Yeah…so?”

“Nothing. Get us a water, will you?”

“Okay…?”

When he left he heard something that sounded a lot like sniggering from the table but he couldn’t be totally sure.

When Babe approached the bar, Roe’s back was turned, fixing a drink. Babe stared at his pale white neck; the edge of that dark hair for a minute then cheerfully greeted him.

“Hey, Eugene! Could I get a water for Joe Toye and a…” He thought about Lipton’s comment about all the Diet Cokes. “A Sprite for me.”

“Ah, Heffron. Branching out from other soft drinks are we? I never thought I’d see the day.”

Roe turned around but stopped in his tracks when he saw Babe. His dark eyes softened ever so slightly. He then hastily got to preparing drinks.

“You cut your hair.”

Babe felt his cheeks heating up.

“Yeah.” He scrubbed the back of his neck. It felt weirdly bare. “Liebgott did it actually, he said that –“

Roe interrupted, which was very out of character for him. Usually it took a lot of effort to even coax answers out of him.

“It looks nice.” It came out very quickly and rushed, tripping out of his mouth. Eugene was looking down, his face as placid as a glacier, betraying nothing but to Babe he may as well have given him the biggest, cheesiest grin. He thought he might actually melt onto the floor from the compliment. He felt himself beam with happiness.

“Thanks, Gene.”

“No problem.” Cool as ever, Gene set two glasses in front of Babe. “Anything else?”

“Nah.” Grinned Babe. “That’s great. See you later, huh Eugene?”

“See you later.”

Babe didn’t stop smiling all night. When Eugene’s shift ended he was waiting by the bar, sitting up on it and swinging his legs.

“Wanna walk home together?”

Gene’s brow wrinkled. He seemed slightly conflicted.

“You don’t have to. I mean…” Babe tried to take it back, embarrassed. His confidence had been greatly bolstered by the day’s earlier compliment and he wasn’t thinking straight. He didn’t even know where Gene lived but he assumed it was in the direction of the dorms.

“Sure.”

Babe’s heart could have flown out of his chest. He felt like a teenage girl with a crush, giddy and dumb. Eugene took a last glance at the bar, waved to Speirs, who would be locking up and gestured at the door as Babe hopped down off the bar. As they walked back, the warm night air shifting Babe’s newly shorn hair, their hands almost brushed and a thrill of electricity went through Babe. He wondered if people who saw them pass thought they were a couple. Probably not, as Gene was resolutely staring off into the mid-distance and didn’t seem a bit affected by their joint promenade. At least, not the way Babe was. He was so excited he might burst. _Be cool Babe, be cool_ , he repeated in his head like a mantra. They came to Babe’s dorm sooner than he would have liked.

“Alright.” Exclaimed Eugene, making Babe jump a bit, as he didn't expect it.

“Ah. We’re here. ” Babe stared reluctantly at his dorm. “Thanks for walking with me.”

“It’s okay.” Gene gave him one of his small smiles. His expression then changed drastically, like he’d remembered something he’d forgotten. “Oh!”

“Oh?”

“Before you go.” Gene fumbled about in his bag, a plain black backpack where Babe assumed he carried his jacket/wallet. He pulled out a DVD. It had a black and white photograph of a kid staring through a mesh fence on the front. “This is ‘The 400 Blows’”

Babe was fairly confused as Gene thrust it into his hands.

“Okay?”

“It’s my favourite film.”

Babe looked back down at the DVD, the importance of this gesture becoming clearer and his flush becoming deeper.

“You know.” Gene continued, his hands now thrust in his pockets. “Because you leant me ‘Jurassic Park’”

Babe finally remembered how to speak.

“Y-Yeah. Wow. Thank you. I’ll watch it right away!”

Eugene was starting to walk away now, rubbing at his red nose. He turned just before he disappeared from sight and Babe, feeling a little mad with emotion, decided to call out to him.

“Hey Eugene!”

“What?”

“Do you really like my haircut?”

Gene smiled and Babe thought it was about 1000 times more beautiful than the huge moon that hung over them, blessing everything with a silvery light which seemed to bring out Gene’s otherworldly features even more than usual. So fucking amazing.

“Of course I do.” He began trudging away. “Get some sleep, Heffron.”

“I will.” Muttered Babe, watching the loping figure sink into the shadows and wondering if it was possible to combust from happiness.

                                                     

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this took so long! 
> 
> Title from [this perfect song! ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx9Ro0V5ydg)


End file.
